IECRC (USA & Canada)

Issue #11

July 8, 2006 / Jamaduth Thani 12, 1427

The distinguished Saintly name that shines in the lands of the Subcontinent in general and Punjab in particular is none other than that of the Crown of the Gnostics, Sultan-ul Arifeen Hazrat Sultan Bahu (1628 – 1691 CE, may Allah Almighty have mercy on him). On the occasion of his Urs Mubarak (Blessed Memorial) on the 1^st of Jamaduth Thani (Jamadul Akhir), below are a few couplets from his famous Punjabi poetry:

Alif Allah Chambe de booti

Murshid mun vich laee Hu

Nafi Asbaat da pani millia

si har rage har jaee Hu

Andar booti mushk machaya

jaan phulan te aee Hu

Jeevay Murshid mera kamil Bahu

Jain aee booti laee Hu

Alif. My Spiritual Guide planted the Love of Allah (all praises due) in my heart just like a jasmine plant. Hu

With every vein [of mine] being watered by nothing but [the truth of] negation and affirmation [i.e. La ilaaha illa Allah]. Hu

This plant has caused much turmoil of fragrance within me upon reaching its full bloom. Hu

Bahu! Long live my perfect Spiritual Guide who sowed [within me] this plant of Love of Allah Almighty. Hu

Be Bismillah Ism Allah da

aevee gehnaa bhara Hu

Naal Shafa’at sarware Alam y

chut si-e alam sara Hu

Haddun be hadd Durood Nabi y noo

jin da ed pasara Hu

Mein qurban una tu Bahu

jina milya Nabi y sahara Hu

Be. Bismillah is the Name of Allah (all praises due) and is indeed a very heavy ornament. Hu

The entire world will be saved by the intercession of the Leader of the World [i.e. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him)]. Hu

Countless Blessings on the One for whom the entire creation has been spread out [i.e. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him)]. Hu

I am sacrificed on those [pious Saints] who received the aid of the Holy Messenger (Peace Be Upon Him). Hu

Sunn Fariyad Piran de-a Pira meri arz suni kan dhar ke Hu

Mera beda adya vich khapran

jithe mach na bende dar ke Hu

Shahe Jilani Mehboobe Subhani

meri khabar liyo jhat kar ke Hu

Pir Jinhan da Miran Bahu

soyo kadhi lag de tar ke Hu

Listen earnestly to my plea O Spiritual Guide of the Spiritual Guides with an attentive ear! Hu

My ship is trapped in waters where even crocodiles don’t dare to tread. Hu

O King of Jilan, Beloved of the Exalted One, quickly take stock of my affairs. Hu

Bahu! The one whose Spiritual Guide is Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani (May Allah be pleased with him) always swims to the shore. Hu

The word Hu at the end of every verse above is a beautiful literary and spiritual blend of meanings as this word in Punjabi means “is” and in Arabic it stands for The Being of Allah Almighty. The blessed name of Hazrat Sultan Bahu (may Allah have mercy on him) also contains this word of Hu and the great Saint often mentioned this fact that his name meant “With Allah” and indeed such was the station and state of this great Friend (Wali) of Allah Almighty that spiritually he was always with his Creator. This is the sign of the Friends of God that they are in the world but not of it. Their inner being is with their Creator and their external body is constantly involved in the unconditional service of humanity. Hazrat Sultan Bahu (may Allah have mercy on him) was also grateful to his pious mother Bibi Rasti (may Allah have mercy on her) for naming him such because by the doubling of the existing dot, the Arabic letter ba changes into a ya making the call to Allah Ya Hu. She had named him such on a directive from the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).

According to some, Hazrat Sultan Bahu (may Allah have mercy on him) was born in Shorkot, Distric Jang in Punjab, Pakistan in the year the Islamic Hijir year 1039 during the reign of the Mughal emporer Shah Jahan. His father’s name was Hazrat Sultan Bazaid Muhammad (may Allah have mercy on him) who was a Hafiz, jurist and pious personality. His mother’s name was Bibi Rasti (may Allah have mercy on her) who was a truly devout and virtuous lady by nature. Hazrat Sultan Bahu (may Allah have mercy on him) praises his blessed mother in a verse as follows:

Rehmat Haq ba rawan Rasti

Rasti Barasti Arasti

May Allah’s Mercy keep showering on Rasti

The beautiful Rasti is on the Right Path

Hazrat Sultan Bahu (may Allah have mercy on him) was a Hashmite descending from Hazrat Ali (may Allah ennoble his countenance). He had taken Bai’ah (Spiritual Contract) with Hazrat Habeebullah Qadri (may Allah have mercy on them) a pious person of his time. He also gained spiritual benefit from Hazrat Abdul Qadir and Hazrat Sufi Abdurrahman Dehlawi (may Allah have mercy on them.)

It is said that the kind of guidance that the famous book Kashful Majhoob of the great 11^th century CE Sufi Saint and Scholar Hazrat Daata Ganj Baksh (may Allah have mercy on him) provides to the seekers of the Sufi Path, similarly the poetry of Hazrat Sultan Bahu (may Allah have mercy on him) provides inroads to Divine Secrets specifically to the famous Hadeeth which means “Die before death”. His poetry also extensively explains the importance and need for love of the Divine. It also addresses many other relevant topics and presents them in a clear manner. Additionally, his poetry explains the importance and need of the relationship between the Spiritual Guide and his disciple. Similar to the nature of the Kashful Mahjoob, the poetry of Hazrat Sultan Bahu (may Allah have mercy on him) helps the seekers who don’t have a Spiritual Guide to find one.

There are many miracles associated with this great personality. One of them is that he would not drink his mother’s milk during the holy month of Ramadan and would fast even during infancy. He was the author of about 140 works in Arabic, Farsi  and Punjabi, some of which include the Risalat Roohi, Abyate Bahu (Punjabi), Asrar Qadri, Diwan Bahu (Farsi), etc. He advised people to fulfill the rights of Allah’s creation with generosity. He also said that a Sufi who strays from the Shari’ah brought by Hazrat Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) even a bit has committed an act of the devil, and that such a Sufi is a devil and it is very important to avoid him.

Hazrat Sultan Bahu (may Allah have mercy on him) united with his Beloved, Allah   Almighty at the age of 63 on the 1^st of Jamaduth Thani and was laid to rest in Garh Maharaja, about 35 miles from Shorkot in Punjab, Pakistan. May Allah, The Most   Exalted give us the ability and strength to learn from him and his works. Ameen.

Reference: Much of the above information has been taken from the commentary on the Abyate Bahu by Abul Kashif Qadri Sahab.

Zahid Chaudhry Qadri

Mr. Chaudhry has been with the IECRC since its inception. He is an encyclopedia of the poetic verses of the Saints of the Islamic tradition and possesses a unique love and connection to the Spiritual Path which is evident from his heartfelt recitations.